ANTHEA IVA
The Director of Redstone Marketing asks three nonprofit executives for their perspectives
Marnie Higgs
Philanthropy & Development Coordinator, Country Needs People
2024 has been a whirlwind year! With the drive for charities to provide more tangible outcomes from funding received and increasing cost-of-living pressures, the importance of communicating impact is more important than ever.
At Country Needs People, we are dedicated to a vibrant future for Indigenous land and seas management (ILSM) through the support of Indigenous ranger groups and Indigenous Protected Areas. ILSM includes protecting biodiversity (including management of invasive and threatened species); sustaining culture on Country; and providing employment opportunities – all of which supports families and strengthens the economic and social futures for communities. We have an extremely passionate base of supporters nationally, both from an advocacy and financial contribution point of view.
But what does 2025 have in store for us? In 2025 our plans are quite focused and build on what we have learnt in previous years.
Our new Gifts in Wills program. Legacy gifts can be transformational, and we have recently launched our Gifts in Wills program including an online Will offering. Getting this program out to our supporters will be key to seeing growth in this area.
New multi-year funding from trusts and foundations. We have some amazing supportive funders, and in 2025 we are looking to expand these relationships and plant the seeds for funding from new sources.
Continue learning, adapting and changing our approach as needed! We are a small but nimble team, which means we can adapt quickly to changes in the funding landscape. We want to really tighten our messaging around the impact our supporters have on activities on the ground, and what can be achieved through their support (both through signing petitions and advocating to government, but also through financial support of our activities across Australia).
It’s going to be a big year, but I can’t wait for 2025 and all of the challenges and adventure it will bring!
Kylie Kidd
Fundraising Manager, International Women’s Development Agency
At International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA), our 2025 fundraising strategy is centred on stability, sustainability and impact. Drawing on data and insights from previous years, we are shifting our focus towards retention-led growth, complemented by measured acquisition. Our goal is to create a more reliable and diversified donor base, ensuring long-term support for our mission.
Strengthening donor relationships will be our main priority in 2025, as we will aim to increase our retention rates and donor lifetime value, while keeping acquisition efforts steady and strategic. At the centre of this approach is a commitment to delivering more personalised donor journeys — deepening our connections with our supporters and ensuring they see the impact of their contributions in action.
A major highlight in 2025 will be IWDA’s 40th anniversary. This milestone offers a unique opportunity not only to celebrate our achievements, but also to re-engage long-term donors and attract new supporters. Through storytelling, we will showcase the transformative work we do for women and communities, highlighting how crucial our donors’ involvement is in achieving our shared goals, both in the past and as we look to the future.
To achieve all this for both immediate and long-term success, we are focusing on optimising our systems and tools, maximising the use of their capabilities. Our CRM and data analytics will play a pivotal role in guiding and informing our decision-making, improving IWDA’s operational efficiency, and enhancing the donor experience. With the integration of system automation and a multi-channel approach — including digital, direct mail and telemarketing — we can provide more tailored experiences for supporters, meeting them where they are.
In 2025, we’re not simply fundraising — we’re building a stronger, more engaged community of supporters who will continue creating lasting change for women and girls across our region for the next 40 years and beyond.
Rebecca Kutcher
Senior Manager, Fundraising and Customer Experience, Cancer Council SA
At the heart of our strategy for 2025 is an emphasis on getting to know our supporters, ensuring they feel valued and appreciated at every interaction. Strong connections lead to meaningful impact. We’ll survey with purpose, segmenting our audience to enhance engagement through personalised communication demonstrating that we know what truly matters to our supporters.
We’ll light up a life everyday with our new Regular Giving product, levelling our focus on predictable revenue streams vs unpredictable ones like events. New name; new journey; new attitude. Our bespoke product approach leans into our service offering showing the direct causal link between money and support, wrapping the donor up into a community of long-term giving.
Acquisition is a top priority. We’re actively exploring various value-exchange propositions, from support guides to stickers. Our goal is to remain agile, closely monitoring ROI while attracting engaged donors to counteract natural attrition. We’re also planning to relaunch our face-to-face fundraising efforts, aiming not just to expand our donor base but raise awareness of our services in outer metropolitan and regional areas.
Our upcoming Giving Day marks the second year of this impactful initiative, and we are excited to amplify its reach and effectiveness. Collaborating with family foundations, we will create gift matching opportunities that incentivise donors. This approach not only doubles the contributions made on Giving Day, but also encourages new donors to participate knowing their gifts will have an even greater impact.
2025 promises to be an exciting and transformative one for us in South Australia!
